Clutch.



J. P. BROPHY.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 24,.1909.

Patented May 23, 1911.

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J. P. BROPHY.

Y OLUTOH.

APPLICATION TILED DEC. 24 1909. 992,938. Patented May 23, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jr's/4- JOHN P. BROPHY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 24, 1909.

992,938. Patented May 23, 1911.

Serial No. 534,764.

the pulley hub 15 is of less diameter than the flange 14, so that between the juxtaposed faccs of the pulley and the disk 3 To all whom it may concern: A Be it known that I, J OHN citizen of the United States,

P. BROPHY, a and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and there is formed an annular opening 12. The State of Ohio, have invented a new and usejuxtaposed faces of the pulley and disk are ful Improvement in Clutches, of which the provided respectively with projections 5 following is a specification, the principle of and 4 which are fixedly secured to such faces the invention being herein explained and and extend outwardly into the annular openthe best mode in which I have contemplated ing 12. A block 7 is loosely seated in the 6 applying'that principle, so as to distinguish annular opening 12 and bears at one end it from other inventions. against the projection 5 which is secured My invention relates to mechanism by to the pulley. A compression spring 6 is which adriven partmay be alternatively conseated in the opening 12 and abuts at one v nected or disconnected with a driving memend against block 7, and at the other end 7 ber, and relates particularly to mechanism against the projection 1 which is secured to of this general class in which a projection the disk 3, the compression spring tending on one member is adapted to engage a proto restrain rotation of the disk 3 relatively jection on the other. to the pulley 2. By inter-posing a loose The general object of the invention is the block 7 between the projection 5 and the 7 provision of a clutch of this type adapted spring 6, the tension of the spring may be to cushion the blow which occurs when the changed at will by substituting a block of driving and driven members are thrown into different length for the one then in use. engagement, and to provide a clutch so Furthermore, the projection 5 is adapted to cushioned which will be of simple construcengage the side of opening 11 in disk 3 (see tion and capable of economical manufac- Fig. 2) to limit relative rotation of the ture. disk, and the block 7 obviates extending the To the accomplishment of these and reloose flexible spring into the opening 11, lated ends said invention, then, consists of with the consequent danger of its flying from the means hereinafter fully described and its seat. A tooth 8 is fixedly secured to the particularly pointed out in the claims. outer face of the disk 3 and projects out- The annexed drawings and the following wardly therefrom. A support 20 is prodescription set forth in detail certain mechvided with a bushing 18 within which is a anism embodying the invention, such disrotatable sleeve 17 to which the pulley 2 is closed means constituting, however, but one secured by a pin'19. Through the sleeve of various mechanical forms in which the 17 extends the shaft 1 which is adapted to principle of my invention may be used. drive any suitable desired machine, the In said annexed drawings :-Figure 1 is shaft 1 being provided with longitudinal a front elevation of the driving member; grooves as shown by dotted lines, Figs. 2 Fig. 2 is, a section thereof and of the driven and 1, while an opening 21 through the pulmember, taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; ley 2 and sleeve 17 provides for lubrication Fig. 3 is a section of the driving member of the bearing. A clutch 9 is splined upon taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, and Fig. shaft 1, the clutch 9 being, then, rotatable 4 is a section of the driving member taken with shaft 1 but axially movable thereon. on the line 4-4: in Fig. 1. The face of clutch 9 contiguous to the outer The driving member in my improved face of the pulley 2 is provided with a steel clutch mechanism consists of a pulley 2 tooth 10 which is adapted, when the clutch which, during operation, is designed to be is at the limit of its forward movement, to rotated at any desired constant speed. The engage the tooth 8 which is fixed on the disk pulley 2 is provided on its outer face with carried by the pulley. On the outer end of an annular recess 13, and in this recess is sleeve 17 may be secured a disk 22 adapted seated a disk 3 having an opening 11 thereto drive, or be driven by, an ordinary fricin, the disk being loosely seated in such recess tion disk at variable speed. so that it may rotate relatively to the pulley From this brief description, the operation and advantages of my improved clutch will by which it is carried. The disk 3 is formed with a peripheral flange 14, which bears against the peripheral wall 16 of recess 13;

be obvious. Ifthe driving pulley is revolving and the clutch is thrown into engage- 1n one face,

V ultimately destructive of the rigid parts sul ment by engaging the tooth thereon with so that an annular opening extends between the tooth on the dlsk, a heavy blow is caused the adjacent faces of the member and disk,

at the moment of engagement. The shock and said member and disk each being proof this blow in usual clutch mechanism is lar opening adjacent to the projection 011 said member, a compression spring disposed in said opening between said block and the projection on the disk, said disk being provided on its outer face rotatable member to be driven and adapted jected to it, but it will be readily understood that if my invention be utilized, the effect of such blow will be to partly rotate the disk carried by the pulley against the force of the spring tending to restrain such rotation. The effect of this yielding of the tooth on the pulley against the force of the spring is to engage the tooth on the disk.

to cause complete absorption of the shock of 2. In a device of the character described, that blow so that engagement of the clutch the combination of a rotatable driving memwill not be attended by the serious wear upon her provided with a recess in one face, a disk the various operative parts. It is further loosely seated in such recess and provided to be noted that I have provided engaging I with an inwardly extending flange bearing teeth which are made relatively long, and against the peripheral wall of said recess, which for this reason afford an excellent said member and disk being each provided contacting surface; at the same time the with a projection on their adjacent faces, a teeth are so attached to the disk and to the compression spring disposed between said clutch respectively that they may be quickly I projections, and a member to be driven and removed and replaced by new teeth when adapted to engage said disk.

constant use renders such replacement nec- 3, In a devic of the character described, essary. the combination of a rotatable driving mem- It need scarcely be explained that various ber provided with a hub and with a recess in equivalent devices may be used in place of one face, a disk loosely seated in such recess the compression spring to form the resilient and provided with an inwardly extending backing for the movable tooth on the driving flange bearing against the peripheral wall of member. said recess, the diameter of the flange on said Other modes of applying the principle of disk being greater than that of the hub of my invention may be employed instead of said member so that an annular opening exthe one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatable driving member provided with a hub and with a recess a disk loosely seated in said recess, said disk being provided with an inwardly extending peripheral flange bearing against the peripheral wall of said recess, the flange of said disk being of greater diameter than the hub of said driving member patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

said member and disk being with a projection on their adacent faces, a compression spring disposed in said annular opening between said projections, said disk being provided on its outer face with a tooth, ber to be driven and the tooth on the disk.

Signed by me this 21st day of December, 1909.

ber and disk, each provided adapted to engage JOHN P. BROPHY.

Attested by ANNA L. GILL, J NO. F. OBERLIN.

Copies of this vided with a projection on their adjacent. faces, a block loosely disposed in said annuwith a tooth, and a tends between the adjacent faces of the memand a rotatable mem- 

